Registration is NOW for the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit!

2025 Masters Walleye Circuit Registration NOW OPEN!  
Presented By: Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s

Ponca City, Oklahoma – January 27, 2025 – As with winter is hitting hard across the country, many are beginning to look forward to spring and the next open water season. The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is proud to announce that registration for it’s 42nd season in 2025, is now open at www.masterswalleyecircuit.com/registration, or call the national office at (580)765-9031.

Teams of 2 anglers will be looking to place well in single events, but also to compete for all new Team of the Year status and a chance to gain entry into the 2026 World Walleye Championship at the destination location of Devils Lake in North Dakota. Teams looking to sign up early may do so NOW!

Anticipation for the new year is high as everyone gets ready.

“There is always something to look at and study, always something to tweak,” says Masters Walleye Circuit Tournament Director Jeff Kelm. “New increased Team of the Year payout, new equipment, new techniques, and new waters; it’s all part of the fun of getting ready for the next season.”

The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit always strives to fish “the best waters at the best times,” and that holds true to this year as much as ever. The 2025 schedule for the MWC was released earlier this year in August of 2024, and no changes have been made. To recap for those who are eagerly awaiting early sign up, here are the locations anglers will be given the opportunity to prove themselves as Champions:

March 21-22 – Illinois River, Spring Valley, Illinois
April 11-12 – Lake Erie, Port Clinton, Ohio
May 2-3 – Lake Petenwell, Rome, Wisconsin
May 30-31 – Lake Oahe, Mobridge, South Dakota
July 18-19 – Bay De Noc, Gladstone, Michigan
September 12-13 – Cass Lake, Cass Lake, Minnesota

2025 World Walleye Championship (WWC) – October 9-11, Alexandria, MN (Le Homme Dieu Chain) (2024 Season Qualifiers)

2026 World Walleye Championship (WWC) – Devils Lake, North Dakota (2025 Season Qualifiers)

Each MWC qualifying event has a lucrative payout which is based on the number of teams entered and is awarded to 20% of the field. In all, the MWC totaled over 150% for the 2023 season after wrapping up the World Walleye Championship where payback numbers were a staggering 480%. 2024’s regular season qualifiers payback was 146%, with the World Walleye Championship in October 2025 expecting to push that number even higher. Additionally, the big-fish pot, option-pot and sponsor bonuses will add thousands more to the field at each event.

MWC will once again offer “Premier Team” status for those teams that sign up for at least (3) events at once, prior to fishing their first event of the year. Premier Team status is our way of saying “Thank You” for the commitment to fishing the Masters Walleye Circuit and comes with multiple benefits such as the use of a pre-designated substitute, delayed billing, and more. Teams earning points in at least four qualifiers compete for the ALL NEW FOR 2025 “Team of The Year” (TOY) honors, including a INCREASED Team Of The Year Sponsorship package by 50% to $15,000.00 in cash and prizes, NTC spots, and thousands more in cash and prizes are awarded to the top team in the TOY race. All teams may fish as many events as they wish during a season and their three (3) best scores are counted toward earning a coveted invitation to the 2026 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s World Walleye Championship.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is North America’s longest running and undisputed leader in team walleye tournaments since 1984 and as an inductee into the freshwater fishing hall of fame, has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing for the past 40+ years. The 2025 schedule includes six qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2026 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship on Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s are looking forward to their 24th season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Lew’s Fishing, Dakota Lithium, and Ranger Boats. Associate sponsors include: The Walleye Federation, T-H Marine and Salmo Java Coffee. For more information, support@masterswalleyecircuit.com or call (580) 765-9031.

Jeff Kelm earns bronze medal in Team USA Ice Fishing Trials

Jeff Kelm earned the Bronze medal at the US National Ice Fishing Championship and secured  a place on TEAM USA last week and will represent the United States Of America in the upcoming World Ice Fishing Championship.

Jeff Kelm, from Wisconsin Rapids, WI.  qualifying path started more than a year ago, in the winter (23/24) when the qualifying events were cut short due to lack of ice in a mild winter, the process had to be cut short.  The final Championship qualifier was pushed out to January of 2025.

Becoming an Olympic athlete requires dedication, determination and practice, practice and more practice. Fishing on 9” of ice, in five separate three-hour heats, the best of the best ice anglers in the United States converged onto the 323 acre, Tamarack Lake, in Lakeview Michigan to compete in the final qualifier of the 2025 US National Ice Fishing Championship (USNIFC) with one goal, to make the USA Ice Fishing Team.  Kelm’s scores in that event earned him a 3rd place overall finish and the bronze medal. Placing him solidly on Team USA as each country is only allowed to send their top 6 anglers.

Kelm is no stranger to elite level competitive fishing.  This will be the fourth time Kelm has earned a spot on the USA Ice Fishing Team and has competed in three World Championships already, 2012 in Kazakhstan, 2013 in the United States and 2016 in Ukraine.

For the first time in 12 years the World Ice Fishing Championship (WIFC) will be back in the USA in 2025 and held in the Grand Rapids, MI area on Tamarack Lake in Lakeview, MI next month February 12-16. During the week of the event there will be three official practice days (Wednesday-Friday) and two competition days (Saturday and Sunday). This years championship consists of the best ice anglers from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and the United States of America.  Some countries are unable to send teams this year due to ongoing conflict in their regions. Each 6-person team representing their home country will consist of 5 anglers and a reserve with one athlete from each country competing against all countries in one of five competition zones for two days.

Left to right – Nate Winters (Ogdensburg, WI), Zach George (Hastings, MI), Chad Schaub ((Gold Medal) Sand Lake, MI), Kevin Kowalski (Duluth, MN), Keith Kniffen ((Silver Medal) Easton Rapids, MI), Jeff Kelm ((Bonze Medal) Wisconsin Rapids, WI)

“This time means more to me than any of the previous opportunities, Kelm stated. I have taken some much needed time away from the top levels of the ice world and to come back and have the success I had right away builds so much confidence going directly into the World Championship. I feel focused and prepared. Tragedy struck our family during the 2013 World Championship and really took me off my game, 2016 Ukraine practice and competition were both cut short due to failing Ice conditions, So I am really looking forward to good ice, a healthy family, and standing on the podium at the end of the week!”

Kelm also makes his living in elite level competitive angling circles as the Federation Angler Groups Northern Operations Tournament Director. Kelm is the Tournament Director for multiple premier circuits and events such as the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit, (MWC), The National Walleye Tour, (NWT), The National Team Championship, (NTC), the Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament (SBOBT) and more.

 

Sad news on passing of a beloved member of the MWC legacy

  • Filed under MWC News

  • December 24, 2024

We are saddened to learn of the passing of one of MWC’s legacy leadership members.  Beverly Kaczkowski passed away Dec 19.  Beverly was the vice president, secretary and treasurer of MWC back in the day. She was tirelessly dedicated to the circuit, and she was loved and respected by all MWCers. She suffered from inclusion body myositis, a rare muscle wasting disease. Donations on her behalf in her memory can be made to the Myositis Foundation. Beverly is survived by her husband former MWC President and executive director of MWC Bob “Kaz” Kaczkowski. Our thoughts and prayer go out to “Kaz”, her friends and family.

Masters Walleye Circuit 2024 Year End Review

  • Filed under MWC News

  • November 18, 2024

Masters Walleye Circuit 2024 Year End Review

Presented by: Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s

Ponca City, Oklahoma – November 18, 2024 – As the anglers of the Masters Walleye Circuit rounded out their season with the last event in Cass Lake, Minnesota completed, it is now time to look back on the season and recognize the winners of events, and the winners of the coveted Team of the Year (TOY) title. After 7 events in 7 different states, teams from 6 different states qualified for the 2025 World Walleye Championship, either by points or by securing a win in one of those events. After the first 6 events of the season, it was a very close race, with John and Ross Hertensteiner holding the lead and fighting for their first Team of the Year win, the team of Wayne Butz and Joe Sommers close on their tail, and Joe and Colton Marx in the same competition. These 3 teams laid it all on the line fishing Cass Lake to round out the regular season.

Starting the year off with a win by tiebreaker, John and Ross had an early lead for TOY in the beautiful March weather in Spring Valley. Butz and Sommers finished 7th, also a good position to start in. The second event was on the Missouri River, where the local team of Corey Rost and Ryan Danforth secured a win with their tournament leading 15lb 12oz day 1 bag. They only needed 7lbs on day 2 to hold on and earn their trophies.

Moving into Wisconsin at the end of May, Gordy and Carl Rose, locals to Lake Winnebago, took home their own set of trophies weighing a whopping 34lbs and 3oz. It was an incredible showing for Winnebago, and some much-needed points for the Marx team with a 7th place finish. After Lake Winnebago, the MWC ventured to Lake Huron out of Au Gres, Michigan. Battling high winds and large waves, Chris Pavlichek and Andrew Pionk took home their checks and trophies with 22lbs and 12oz. Butz and Sommers had an excellent showing, taking 2nd place, with the Hertensteiners in 10th place, heating up the points competition for the year.

Traveling to Lake Erie in July, the MWC awarded trophies to Mike Miller and Bryan Fisher, after their crushing performance weighing over 80 pounds in two days and leading the pack by 10 pounds. Butz and Sommers earned more necessary points with a 13th place finish weighing over 59lbs. Following that with the August event on Bitter Lake out of Webster, SD, teams had to work hard to consistently get big bites. Austin Ellingson and Justin Strutz weighed 31lbs and 2oz to cash their winning check and earn their trophies. The Hertensteiners again had a phenomenal finish in 5th place, proving to be consistently competitive anglers.

Finally, to round out the regular season, the annual return to Cass Lake, MN was the perfect battleground to solidify the leader in Team of the Year points. Zothman and Foehrenbacher had the win locked up after day 2 for their first ever tournament win after years of fishing together. The points race going into day 2 was incredibly tense, with the teams of Hertensteiner and Marx only 2 pounds apart. At the end of day 2, John and Ross Hertensteiner won the race and were crowned Team of the Year, winning a huge prize package worth over $10,000. The package consists of a paid entry into the 2025 National Team Championship including lodging, and fully paid entry into 4 MWC events including lodging and travel stipends.

In all, the MWC totaled over 150% for the 2023 season after wrapping up the World Walleye Championship where payback numbers were a staggering 480%. 2024’s regular season qualifiers payback was 146%, with the World Walleye Championship in October 2025 expecting to push that number even higher. Registration for the 2025 season will be opening in January of 2025, with a press release prior to then outlining the exact details of registration open. To view the full 2025 schedule, visit our website at WWW.MastersWalleyeCircuit.com.

As part of the 2024 MWC season, anglers vied for a coveted spot in the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s World Walleye Championship in Alexandria, MN. Teams could participate in as many events as they wish, with points earned in at least three qualifiers necessary for an invitation to the World Walleye Championship. Those earning points in at least four qualifiers compete for “Team of the Year” honors, including a $10,000 sponsorship package and thousands more in cash and prizes to the top 10 teams in the “best of 4” final standing each year.

The MWC is open to walleye anglers from all walks of life. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to find a partner, sign up and fish all MWC events, or even just one that is local to you, for a shot at great paybacks. Additionally, the points structure for 2024, based in part on angler feedback received during previous seasons, better protected those team’s efforts who are fishing 3 or more events each season. MWC Rule #14 details the specifics of how to earn points, based on the number of events attended. For anglers looking to compete for “Team of the Year”, and/or gain entry into the World Walleye Championship, it is recommended to fully understand the necessary steps to ensure they are earning points as intended.

MWC pays back more than 100% in cash and prizes each season and each MWC event has a lucrative payout which is based on the number of teams entered. For the entire 2024 season, the winners of each event were GUARANTEED a minimum of $10,000 First Place prize, powered by Dakota Lithium. The top 20% of the field at each qualifying event earned a check providing more inspiration to sign up and join the fun. In addition to a hefty check, the first-place team also earned a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s National Team Championship (NTC) prize package including: paid entry, a travel stipend, team jerseys, and plaques. Additionally, the big-fish pot, option-pot and sponsor bonuses from Ranger Cup, Lowrance, Dakota Lithium, and Okuma added thousands more for distribution among the field.

Under the umbrella of The Walleye Federation (TWF), the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit is North America’s longest running and undisputed leader in team walleye tournaments since 1984 and as an inductee into the freshwater fishing hall of fame, has set the standard for competitive walleye fishing for the past 40+ years. The 2024 schedule included seven qualifiers in six states, plus berths into the 2025 Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s MWC World Walleye Championship in Alexandria, MN. Visit masterswalleyecircuit.com for full details and the recently announced 2025 schedule.

Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s are rounding out their 23rd season as title sponsor of the Masters Walleye Circuit. Official sponsors include: Lowrance Electronics, Mercury Marine, Lew’s Fishing, Dakota Lithium, and Ranger Boats. Associate sponsors include: The Walleye Federation, Church Tackle, FishLab, Okuma, and T-H Marine. For more information, email support@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or call (580) 765-9031.